ROOT PRUNING AND REPOTING
TOOLS CONTAINERS SOIL MIX ROOT INSPECTION ROOT PRUNING REPOTING AFTER CARE
All home and pot crops like Ferns, African violets, Orchids and Scrumptious monsters which can be in containers, no matter the scale of the container, needs to be repotted in new soil and root pruned not less than each two to 4 years, relying on the kind of plant, to forestall them of changing into pot sure and die. All potted crops needs to be repotted frequently to revitalise the soil and supply extra soil house for the roots.
Why is it needed ??? If a potted plant is just not repotted and / or root pruned frequently, the roots develop to a stage the place there isn’t any extra space accessible within the container, and the basis ball compacts the soil between the roots. When water is given to the plant it runs between the roots and the within of the container straight by way of to the drainage holes.
However, pot crops are low cost and in the event that they die we simply purchase a brand new one. Within the meantime we may have extended it’s life by not less than ten to twenty years. Bonsai can be a potted plant and for a similar cause it must also be root pruned and repotted frequently. To not maintain it small like some individuals assume, however to revitalise the soil to increase it’s life to lots of of years. Eradicating the taproot alone won’t stunt the tree’s development.
Within the artwork of bonsai we don’t stunt a plant’s development, however promote development and prune it again to redirect the sap circulate within the route we would like it to develop.
ROOT PRUNING IS A ART, THE SAME AS TOP GROWTH PRUNING.
TOOLS
TOOLS IN KIT FORM
There are numerous bonsai instruments accessible for various functions. The most typical shear is the leaf pruner which has a protracted skinny nostril for reaching the within of the highest development simply thus stopping breaking or damaging of the high quality and delicate leaves and department lets.
One other shear that can be used is the department cutter . This cutter is made extra strong, however with the identical exact sharp edges because the leaf cutter , the chopping edges are in a “ v ” form . Eradicating a department with a department cutter, it cuts into the wooden at a angle enabling the bark to cowl the wound.
The knob cutter is used to wash out a wound after a department has been eliminated to permit the bark to cowl the reduce.
The knob cutter has a spherical mouth to eat into the heartwood of the tree.
The final shear is the basis cutter that has a flat mouth
for chopping clear and straight.
After the tree shears comes the wire cutters
and tongs to be used with wire shaping.
BONSAI CONTAINERS
Bonsai containers are available all sizes, shapes and hues. Some individuals imagine they shouldn’t be glazed, others imagine they need to. Some individuals say they shouldn’t be glazed on the within however on the skin solely, others don’t care.
Most native bonsai pots accessible are made in earth ware. They appear lovely however most don’t final. The rationale for that is, these pots are baked at lower than one thousand levels, and the glaze begins to “ crease “. After a number of winter seasons, the pot begin to crack. The rationale for that is the chilly moist circumstances in winter. Because the soil cools right down to freezing level the glaze cracks and the water begins to penetrate and soften the clay, finally the pot cracks.
Bonsai buddy manufactures it’s personal stoneware containers which can be baked at a thousand 2 hundred levels and is glazed inside and outside. Personally, i choose a bonsai container to be glazed inside and outside as this makes root inspection a lot simpler. If the container is just not glazed on the within and also you wish to take away the basis ball from the container, the high quality feeder roots develop hooked up to the unglazed within the container and break off as you take away the tree from the bonsai container for root inspection.
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SOIL MIX
THE SOIL TO BE USED FOR BONSAI IS VERY IMPORTANT. THE SOIL MIX DETERMINES THE BONSAI TREE’S CONDITION, THE GROWING RATE AND THE INTAKE OF FOOD.
THE SOIL MUST BE LIGHT, RICH AND WELL DRAINED WITH A LOT OF SHARP EDGED OBSTRUCTIONS, LIKE WASHED RIVER SAND.
IT SHOULD NOT KEEP TOO MUCH MOISTURE FOR TOO LONG.
The principle cause for that is, wetting the soil totally, slows down quickly, the expansion of the high quality feeder roots . When the soil barely dries out however stays moist , contemporary air containing oxygen is pulled into the soil because the water degree drops and the soil particles shrink, thus making a micro moist environment within the soil . Permitting house for the high quality feeder roots to look the soil for dissolved meals so offering, an important course of for a wholesome, vigorous root development and improvement . When the soil is saturated once more the entire course of is repeated and the outdated air is pushed out of the soil . Soil that stays too moist too lengthy ends in root rot, as no oxygen can enter the soil and the roots are drowned .
BONSAI FRIEND USES THE FOLLOWING BONSAI SOIL MIX .
One and a half buckets pink topsoil . 25 lt .
( pink topsoil is a lightweight pink clay soil that retains the combination collectively )
One and a half buckets odd backyard soil .
( to forestall the bonsai mixture of changing into to clayish )
One bucket seedling soil . 25 lt .
( to lighten the combination and because it dries out make house for the feeder roots to develop. Accessible at nurseries )
Two buckets 25 lt of sharp washed river sand .
( Washed river sand is sand builders use to combine into concrete )
( Which is used for concrete slabs and home flooring, it’s a sharp mild brown sand )
One bucket of vermiculite medium dimension .
( for loosening the soil combine and to take care of moisture within the soil combine . Accessible at nurseries)
( Because the vermiculite disintegrates it creates house for the brand new high quality feeder roots to develop )
To this combine we add :
A small handful of bone meal .
A small handful of blood meal .
A small handful of agriculture lime .
A small handful of tremendous phosphate
River sand should be washed earlier than it’s blended into the soil for removing of extra mud and clay . To scrub the sand, fill a 25 lt bucket midway with river sand, put a hose pipe within the bucket and open the faucet . Not an excessive amount of, simply sufficient to acquire a gentle overflow of water . Use your hand to raise the sand and to swish round within the bucket. You’ll discover quite a lot of reddish mud will wash out. Carry on mixing the sand till all redness is eradicated and the water is evident.
This soil combine will final for not less than 4 to 5 years within the bonsai container, supplied the tree is frequently fed with
NITROSOL* NATURAL ORGANIC PLANT FOOD .
ROOT INSPECTION
Root inspection is completed yearly to find out when the roots needs to be pruned .
STEP : 1
Enable the bonsai soil to dry out for a full day ( 24 hours ).
STEP : 2
Take the bonsai pot in each fingers and push each your index fingers slowly by way of the 2 drainage holes, the complete root ball full with soil ought to raise out of the pot .
( if this doesn’t occur and solely the skin of the soil lifts, the bonsai tree doesn’t want repotting )
STEP : 3
Holding the bonsai pot in your left hand, place your proper hand on prime of the topsoil with the bonsai stem between your index and your subsequent finger .
STEP : 4
Tilt the pot the wrong way up and take away the pot from the basis ball .
BONSAI TREE READY FOR ROOT PRUNING AND REPOTTING
STEP :5
If the roots have grown across the within the container it’s time for root pruning . If solely skinny feeder roots are seen the tree may be left for an additional yr with out root pruning .
BONSAI TREE NOT READY FOR REPOTTING
ROOT PRUNING AND REPOTTING
BEFORE STARTING TO DO ROOT PRUNING MAKE SURE
ALL THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT IS READY .
CHECK LIST
The brand new bonsai container
The bonsai soil and the bonsai gravel
Sieves for the drainage holes ( We use 40% shade internet )
A hacksaw or a hacksaw blade or a pointy knife
A container with water for submerging the tree into after repotting
Root pruning is generally finished in late winter simply earlier than a bonsai tree begins to bud .
indicator are the timber within the veld , as they start to bud it’s time to repot your bonsai.
As quickly because the buds begin to swell we all know that spring is on the best way .
Root pruning ought to all the time be carried out early within the morning or late afternoon,
when the sap circulate within the tree is on the lowest,in any other case the tree will unfastened an excessive amount of moisture .
Enable the tree to dry out for twenty 4 hours earlier than root pruning is carried out .
Place the sieves over the drainage holes .
FILL THE BOTTOM OF THE BONSAI CONTAINER WITH AT LEAST
ONE TO TWO CENTIMETRES OF BONSAI SOIL .
UPLIFT THE BONSAI TREE OUT OF THE POT
AS EXPLAINED PREVIOUSLY IN ROOT INSPECTION .
PLACE THE ROOT BALL FLAT ON A TABLE, TAKE A HACKSAW OR A SHARP KNIFE,
REMOVE ONE CENTIMETRE OF SOIL AND ROOTS ON ALL SIDES OF THE ROOT BALL .
SMALL BONSAI CUT ONE CENTIMETRE OFF ALL ROUND AND AT THE BOTTOM
MEDIUM BONSAI CUT BETWEEN TWO AND THREE CENTIMETRE OFF ALL ROUND AND AT THE BOTTOM
BIG BONSAI CUT UP TO FIVE CENTIMETRE OFF ALL ROUND AND AT THE BOTTOM
Tilt the remaining root ball on its facet and take away not less than one centimetre of soil and roots on the backside of the basis ball . On greater timber reduce off one centimetre of soil and loosen the remaining backside soil and roots with a fork and examine how a lot soil and roots can nonetheless be eliminated . By no means take away greater than a 3rd of the roots at one time, because the roots may be repruned subsequent yr .
Place the basis ball within the new container and fill the gaps with bonsai soil .
Barely compress the brand new soil, however not an excessive amount of then degree the soil off .
SLOWLY SUBMERGE THE POT IN THE WATER TO THE BRIM
AND SOAK UNTIL ALL AIR BUBBLES HAVE CEASED .
REMOVE THE TREE FROM THE WATER AND GENTLY PLACE IT DOWN
IN A SHADY AREA TO DRAIN OFF SURPLUS WATER .
AFTER CARE
As soon as the surplus water has drained off, place the tree ready the place it would obtain no direct solar,
however very shiny mild and a continuing temperature for the following two to 4 weeks .
Out of wind and draught as this will solely dry out the leaves and induce die – again .
Feeding can begin three months after repotting .
Don’t water the tree the following day because the soil will nonetheless be moist sufficient .
Begin watering the bonsai tree from the second day after repotting,
within the mornings just for the following week and from the second week thereafter, water the tree as regular .
As and when the tree begins to provide new development, apply leaf nipping for the remainder of the rising season .